[HoarseMann]

I was hoping someone would

I was hoping someone would post here that they’ve got a camera that works great in the dark – maybe some of the newer crop of action cameras with HDR and optical stabilisation?

My experience with the original Fly 12 / 6 is it’s quite difficult to get a clear plate at night. At least with 2 cameras and angles you get a couple of chances.

In a well lit urban area with slower moving traffic, it’s pretty good. In a dark country lane with a 60mph limit, generally no chance – unless they slow down behind you before passing, then the rear often captures it.

The flashing light will help, varys the exposure for more chance. The helmet mount will hinder, as motion will cause blurring, so I’d consider mounting on the bike.

[HoarseMann]

I even had a friendly toot

I even had a friendly toot from a HGV yesterday when I sat in primary for 20 seconds to block him passing on double white lines with oncoming traffic! I was turning left and going quite quick downhill, so I pointed at the junction ahead, made a left signal and thumbs up and he didn’t tailgate me. Gave a little toot as I turned off and raised my hand to thank him for waiting.

Despite what some motorists think, nobody goes out cycling to hold up traffic deliberately (well, unless it’s a critical mass event or something).

[HoarseMann]

I tend to let them past ASAP

I tend to let them past ASAP on a narrow lane.

I’ll stay in the centre of the lane until they’re down to my speed before moving to the side and letting them pass. Tends to work ok at stopping the high speed squeeze by.

Keeping central in the lane if a safe pass is not possible, i.e. I’m going downhill at speed, it’s on a bend, I’m about to turn off onto a side road, it’s a HGV/Bus/Coach/Combine/Tractor and the road is not wide enough so need to find a field gate or wide verge etc. But this is usually for less than a minute.

[HoarseMann]

I would view this as an

I would view this as an opportunity to acquire two bikes! 

I found as the kids got heavier, that the leverage of a wide flat bar made it much easier to keep the bike upright when stationary.

So, I’d look at getting a nice new endurance/gravel type road bike for the commute, plus a second hand 26″ wheel MTB for kid and shopping lugging duties. The smaller MTB wheels keep the kids seat weight lower for a better centre of gravity, plus you can fit wider tyres for a more comfortable ride.

You will probably spend a lot more time on the commuter bike, so I’d try and avoid compromising it’s performance by trying to get it to do everything.

[HoarseMann]

I hope they called out

I hope they called out ‘droppin’ in’

[HoarseMann]

You’re right! Thankfully

You’re right!  Thankfully managed to avoid a coming together and a reminder that it’s safer to ride in the primary position.

[HoarseMann]

pic

pic

[HoarseMann]

Yep, the SQR would be ok as

Yep, the SQR would be ok as it’s more of a mount than a rack and the weight is kept quite close to the post – it’s those long seatpost racks like a huge lever that would not be a good idea.

[HoarseMann]

I’d say forget a standard or

I’d say forget a standard or seat post clamping rack. Both could risk damage to the post or frame. If they’re mudguard only mounts, they won’t be designed to bear a load. There are better options for a bike like that…

£ – a backpack
££ – a seatpack
£££ – a tailfin

[HoarseMann]

David9694 wrote:

Legally?

I don’t anticipate they’ll be any criminal conviction for this ‘accident’, so is it illegal?!

[HoarseMann]

stonojnr wrote:

BMW driver drives into pub… https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/traffic/tayfen-road-crash-beerhouse-pub-bury-7323146

It’s the only way you can legally spend time in a pub at the moment.

[HoarseMann]

That’s the one. I didn’t

That’s the one. I didn’t realise it’s got a stretch from London too. With that and a bit of the EV Pilgrims route, you can get from London to the middle of France.

edit: The French bit of the AV route would be ok on a road bike – the English bit, no so much…

[HoarseMann]

+1 for Eurovelo routes,

+1 for Eurovelo routes, generally very well signed and surfaced in France.

I’ve noticed a lot of organised cycle tours use the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry crossing. I think there is a signed cycle route from there to Paris, where you could possibly pick up a Eurovelo route to get you a bit further south.

[HoarseMann]

The ‘Island Echo’ facebook

The ‘Island Echo’ facebook page has a post about it. From the comments it looks like it happened on a National Cycle Network path and the owner has got a second hand version of events from the bloke who was walking the dogs. So I’d take this story with a large pinch of salt!

https://www.facebook.com/pg/IslandEcho/posts/

[HoarseMann]

I’ve done a bit more digging

I’ve done a bit more digging and apparently iodine was banned by the EU in 2009, largely because hikers were using it to sterilize drinking water from streams and it had the potential for lethal overdosing (and apparently also used to make crystal meth!). But this had the effect of removing sprays like this from the market.

The EU amended the law in 2014 to allow for the use of iodine in antiseptic treatments, so I don’t think a spray like this is illegal anymore, just not sold in the UK now 🙁

[Author]

Replies